XYZprinting Da Vinci Jr. 1.0w 3D Printer Review

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This printer is nearly unbeatable when it comes to value; it’s one of the cheapest printers on the market, but it’s still pretty reliable and intuitive, making the art of 3D printing accessible to virtually anyone, no matter their skill level.

A great model for the amateur hobbyist, the da Vinci Jr. 1.0w is small, mostly automated, and versatile, so whether you want to craft practical tools or fun toy models, you’ll find a lot to enjoy with this printer.

Let’s take a closer look at some of this printer’s features and go through its pros and cons, so you can make the best decision. Is it right for you?

The main advantages to the 1.0w are its Wi-Fi capabilities and auto-calibration system. We’ll get into more details on these features below.

Both the 1.0 and 1.0w models have multiple USB and SD ports to make transferring files easy, and calibration can be done manually if needed.

How Does It Work?

As we’ve said, this model is a great bet for beginners, so if this is going to be your first 3D printing purchase, you might want to have a good handle on the basics.

3D printing technology has advanced rapidly, which means even small consumer models have tons of versatility, allowing you to craft with a remarkable amount of finesse.

Most printers include software that allows you to craft or copy digital three-dimensional shapes, which the printer then builds layer by layer.

3D printers use various types of filament canisters (or spools) as “ink,” and they melt and harden in order to create your 3D design.

Accessories

This da Vinci Jr. 1.0w printer comes with a 300g spool of filament to get started. Filaments come in many different colours and can be refilled at XYZprinting’s website.

XYZprinting products only work with specifically designed filaments, so it’s best to go straight to the brand and purchase spools designed for the da Vinci Jr. machines.

The da Vinci Jr. uses a filament called PLA, or PolyLactic Acid, a brittle, lightweight substance similar to plastic that is completely biodegradable.

The other most commonly used filament is called ABS, a more industrial material that requires some degree of advanced skill to manage. ABS filaments create much sturdier constructions, but they require careful fine-tuning to get right.

This makes PLA the best material for beginners; it’s much more pliable and has an almost sugary aroma when melted, unlike the harsh, metallic smell that you would get from ABS filaments.

If you’re an amateur craftsman, there’s a good chance you’ll never need to work with ABS, and the creations you’ll get from standard PLA won’t leave you disappointed.

Features

Auto-Calibration System

The most important thing to keep in mind when working with the Da Vinci Jr., and all 3D printers, is making sure you have correctly calibrated the system before beginning any creation.

The da Vinci Jr. has an auto-calibration system that adjusts the Z-offset (that’s the height of the nozzle from the base of the print tray) based on how large your print job will be.

However, this calibration can be a little dicey, and you may need to make your own manual adjustments if the Z-offset doesn’t look right.

Putting the “auto” in air quotes, it’s a nice step forward that should sometimes make printing go a little faster, but it’s not an exact science, so you’ll need to step in and fix it when it’s a little off.

Resolution

The Da Vinci Jr. prints at anywhere between 100 to 400 microns, which means that it has a fairly low resolution compared to many professional printers.

A micron refers to the height of each layer, so the smaller the microns, the finer the curves will be in your final print product.

Lower resolution printers output products that have a slight boxy quality to them, and they have a set thickness that makes it difficult to do very small, delicate work.

For most consumers, 100 to 400 microns is more than enough to build just about anything, and once you’re finished, you can rough out any rogue edges with sandpaper if you’re looking for a more polished curve.

You can also adjust the resolution depending on your project. The equivalent of “draft” mode on this machine would be a 400-micron creation.

Auto-Feeding Filament System

The machine will line up the filament to the extruder for you, ensuring no mess and no complicated installation.

All you have to do is replace the filaments when they’re empty. This will save you a lot of time overall.

Upgrades

You’ll need to keep your firmware updated; each time you use the machine, make sure that you’ve downloaded the latest patches to ensure the printer can connect to the design.

These types of upgrades are common for any Blu-ray player or other connected device.

1 Year Warranty

The warranty for XYZ machines includes unlimited company support for any technical or crafting issues you may have.

Their customer support line always seems to be incredibly helpful, and you can take advantage of their online resources, videos, and FAQs that will help as you learn your way around your machine.

Having this safety net is great for a beginner, and there are plenty of great tricks you can learn about maintaining your printer and getting better and better results as time goes on.

Da Vinci Jr. 1.0w 3D Printer: Review

The Positives

An amazingly simple machine that doesn’t sacrifice quality shouldn’t be as surprising as it is. But the da Vinci Jr. is a fantastic choice for hobbyists, offering an impressive range of settings that allows users to experiment without needing to be technical experts.

That range also means this printer has staying power – there are nearly limitless creations you can design and download, and it can be used by the whole family without much trouble.

Enclosed Print Tray

This may seem like a simple addition but everyone who has kids or pets knows the feeling of constant worry that overcomes you when you have easy-to-reach projects nearby.

XYZPrinting eases your mind with the enclosed print tray.

For extra protection, the print tray is non-heated so even if by some misfortune your little or furry ones decide to get touchy, they won’t get hurt.

Wifi Connectivity

The Da Vinci Jr. makes your life easier by allowing you to connect to wifi.

This means you can use both your Mac or Windows to send printing jobs to your printer without attaching a ton of messy cables, or needing your computer nearby.

No need to worry about cables being disconnected, or having to plug and unplug wires when someone else wants to print.

Compact and Quiet

This printer is lighter and slimmer than previous models, producing quality prints without taking up too much space.

The da Vinci Jr.’s small size makes it easy to fit into any workspace. You can easily take it from home to school or office without having to struggle with heaviness, or the hassle of disconnecting and reconnecting too many wires.

As a bonus, the printer is super quiet. With it’s petite size and silent printing you (or anyone else) will barely notice it’s there.

Environmentally Conscious

You can print smarter with the da Vinci Jr. as it uses only biodegradable and non-toxic filament.

The PLA filament used in the printer is tested to ensure that it is free of harmful components and is instead made up of natural materials like corn starch.

Its small size allows it to use a lot less power than bigger machines at just 75 watts, effortlessly allowing you to help the planet without even thinking about it.

Here’s a first-print video and quick set-up of the da Vinci. Jr:

The Negatives

Auto-Calibration Bugs

Although the auto-calibration feature is a great step, it still has some bugs that the user will have to have the patience to work through.

To make this addition really work for you, simple troubleshooting like adjusting the x-axis arm will definitely help you out.

XYZPrinting will guide you through the process by calling their support line.